Neurovirulence of Varicella and the Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine Virus

Live Attenuated Vaccines: Influenza, Rotavirus and Varicella Zoster Virus

Since vaccinia virus was first used to protect against smallpox in the eighteenth century, live attenuated vaccines have proved to be highly effective in reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by many human viral pathogens. Contemporary live viral vaccines are designed using several different strategies to achieve attenuation. These basic principles and approaches are illustrated by vaccin...

Development of an Attenuated Live Virus Vaccine against Sheep Pox

Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a live attenuated tetravalent measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

In countries where routine varicella vaccination is implemented, it is usually given at the same age as that recommended for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination. A combined multivalent measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine would offer the convenience of a single injection and facilitate implementation of varicella vaccination into routine childhood immunisation schedules. We evalua...

Transmission of Varicella Vaccine Virus, Japan

To the Editor: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a human herpesvirus, is the causative agent of varicella (chick-enpox) and herpes zoster (shingles). Worldwide, children are routinely vaccinated with a live attenuated vari-cella vaccine containing the Oka vaccine (vOka) strain of VZV, originally developed in Japan (1–3). Although the risk for secondary transmission of the vOka strain from immunocom...

Varicella Vaccine

to an affected household member. In healthy children, varicella usually does not cause serious complications. However, immunocompromised children and otherwise healthy adults are at increased risk for life-threatening complications of varicella such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and disseminated infection. Although <10% of all cases of varicella occur in adults, this age group accounts for 25-30%...